The invention relates to a device for processing orders for supplying orthodontic bands having orthodontic functional parts fitted as specified in the orders.
The novel and inventive device is intended, in particular, to allow such orders to be processed in considerably less time, and at the same time to provide greater reliability for processing the orders in house.
Until now, the aforementioned orders were normally registered using data processing and stored in coded, machine-readable form.
In parallel with this, the orders were given to the appropriate department for carrying out these orders, and the bands and functional parts were removed from stocks as specified in the orders and gathered together for processing. A suitable package was selected for the finished order and provided with a label, which generally contained only a brief printed description of the packaged bands with functional parts.
A disadvantage of this type of processing for orders for supplying orthodontic bands having orthodontic functional parts fitted as specified in the orders is that the definition of the order, which was always provided only in words and numbers, meant that quickly registering the type of order and, accordingly, also quickly and reliably checking the order carried out and comparing it with the original order was time-consuming and sometimes prone to error.
In addition, for the doctor supplied with the bands having orthodontic functional parts fitted as specified in an order, and his staff, allocating the goods received to their own stocks and/or to a patient to be treated is difficult owing to the lack of information and the small structures of the functional parts fitted. Furthermore, particularly in the case of the orthodontic functional parts fitted as specified in an order, the so-called angulation angle at which they are fitted on the band is frequently of great importance, and relatively small differences in angle can be assessed sufficiently reliably on the equipped band only with difficulty or not at all.
The novel device for processing orders for supplying orthodontic bands having orthodontic functional parts fitted as specified in the orders avoids the above disadvantages by comprising:
a computer unit having a memory for managing basic data for the unequipped orthodontic bands, basic data for the functional parts that are to be welded on, and data for the bands equipped with one or more functional parts specified as well as graphics data sets allocated to the unequipped and equipped bands and to the functional parts;
an input device for inputting the data for an order for a band having a functional part fitted as specified in the order or functional parts fitted as specified in the order; and
a printer unit for printing out an order acknowledgement and for printing labels with order data and a graphical representation of the band equipped as specified in the order.
In this arrangement, the computer unit checks the order data input using the input device to determine whether they correspond to the data for a stored band with specific parts fitted.
Owing to the fact that graphics data sets are held ready, in particular for the bands equipped with functional parts, and that a label with such a graphics representation is produced automatically, the information needed for processing the order is given to those persons involved in order processing and checking in such a way that it can be registered quickly and reliably. At the same time, the label printed with the graphics representation allows the doctor receiving the dispatch to allocate it to a particular stock and/or to a particular patient much more easily.
In addition, the printer unit can be used to produce design instructions as specified in an order, as well as repeat-order forms, which can be enclosed with the bands when they are delivered to the customer.
In addition, and to ensure even more reliability, it is possible to provide for the computer unit to be able to use the printer unit to print out an order acknowledgement containing a graphical representation of the band having one or more functional parts, which was ordered with the specific parts fitted. Consequently, the person ordering or customer receives a graphical acknowledgement of his order and is able to check the order data very quickly and reliably and to correct it if necessary.
The check instigated by the computer unit for the order data input using the input device can lead to the computer unit causing a graphics data set assigned to the band specified in the order to be created, specifically if the check establishes that an appropriate graphics data set does not yet exist in the management memory.
The bands can be equipped with functional parts by means of a welding process, in particular spot welding, soldering or other equivalent joining techniques.
The graphics data sets used according to the invention for the bands and the functional parts can be recorded and/or processed photographically, using computer-aided design (CAD) or in another way.
The essential feature is that the graphics representation of a band equipped as specified in the order is assembled from the graphics data sets.
All in all, the graphics data sets, assembled to form a graphical representation, for a band and the associated functional parts offer a much better optical information aid than a simple photographic representation of the equipped band would be able to, because the functional parts can in each case be represented, in particular, such that their main characteristics can be seen clearly and are easy for the observer to register.
Order processing can be rationalised further in that the device additionally comprises a stores management system for automatically controlled removal of the band and the functional part or functional parts needed for dealing with the order, selecting a suitable package and bringing together the band, the functional part or functional parts and the package with the order-specific label printed by the printer unit in a transport container.
A further increase in speed can be achieved in that the input device comprises a data telecommunication interface which a customer uses to transmit the order data to the computer unit directly in machine-readable form. In this arrangement, it is possible to provide for the reply or the order confirmation to be transmitted back to the customer via the data telecommunication interface as well, and for it to contain not only the specific order described in words and numbers, but also the associated graphics data set, so that the customer receives an order acknowledgement with an added graphic, virtually online, and is able to check it and make corrections as necessary.
Allocation of the packaged bands with specific parts fitted at the customer""s premises to already existing stocks and/or to the materials for treating a specific patient can be simplified further in that the labels which the printer unit has printed with order data and a graphical representation of the band equipped as specified in the order additionally contain the name of the patient to be treated with the band, possibly in encrypted form, or another identifier specific to the customer. This provides maximum reliability, for the customer as well, in ensuring that the ordered bands with specific parts fitted are actually used for the intended patient or are placed into stock correctly.
The stores management system is preferably equipped with a handling device which, on the basis of the order to be processed, effects removal of the band and the functional part or parts needed for dealing with the order from corresponding band and functional-part stocks.
In this instance, a further provision which may be made is that the corresponding bands and possibly also the functional parts bear a machine-readable marking, for example a laser marking, which the handling device can check, during removal, for the identification to be established in agreement with the basic data provided in accordance with the order.
In addition, the printer unit can be designed such that it can produce a label, for the transport container, whose wording can be read by a machine and which, on the transport container, makes it possible for a machine to be able to locate the transport container in the course of production by reading the label. An automatic reply can then be sent to the computer unit, so that it is possible for the transport container and hence also the progress of the order processing to be precisely checked and documented at each stage of order processing.
The invention also relates to a method for processing orders for supplying orthodontic bands, which can be carried out using the device described above according to the invention.
This method firstly comprises inputting the data for an order for a band having a functional part which is to be welded on as specified in the order into a computer unit, the computer unit checking whether the order data corresponds to the data stored in the memory for bands with specific parts fitted, printing labels with order data and a graphical representation of the band specified in the order, and removal of the bands and functional parts needed for dealing with the order from a corresponding stock. In addition, it is possible for a suitable package to be selected automatically and for the band, the functional part and the package with the order-specific label printed by the printer unit to be brought together automatically in a transport container. The transport container with all these individual parts then goes to the department carrying out the fitting work and can then be transported further, together with the completed order, for checking and goods dispatch.